Uvalde school shooting victims' families reach $2 million settlement with city
UVALDE, Texas - Friday, May 24, 2024, marks two years since the school shooting in Uvalde that killed 19 students and two teachers.
They are continuing their push for justice and accountability, while also coming to a settlement with the city of Uvalde.
"Mass shootings create anniversaries that are in themselves destructive," said Josh Koskoff, the attorney representing the families.
Ahead of the anniversary, the families of the children who were murdered are suing the state and DPS troopers over the more than an hour-long delay in confronting the gunman.
They also announced a $2 million settlement with the city of Uvalde.
"No amount of money is worth the lives of our children," said Javier Jacinto Cazares, whose daughter, Jackie, died in the shooting. "Justice and accountability has always been my main concern. We've been let down so many times. The time has come to do the right thing."
The $2 million comes from the city's insurance.
"Which is all that there was," said Koskoff.
The lawyer representing the families said any more than that could have been devastating for the city's finances.
"The last thing they would want to do was to inflict any financial hardship on their friends and neighbors in this community," said Koskoff.
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The families are also seeking justice from the city in non-monetary ways.
"In terms of accountability, no discipline of any police officers, no demotions, no nothing," said Koskoff.
As part of the agreement, Uvalde police will see new fitness duty standards and training for officers.
The city will recognize the 19 children and two teachers with an annual day of remembrance, build a memorial, and support mental health services for families and survivors.
The city will also have to maintain the graves of the victims and reimburse families for the cost of repairing ornamentation at the graves.
"These were the last lines of defense for our children, but they were failed long before the shooting," said Koskoff.
The families also announced they plan to file lawsuits against the state, including more than 90 Texas DPS officers, who waited 77 minutes before entering a classroom to kill the 18-year-old shooter.
"Which has done nothing at all but burden this down before the shooting, by not giving them the resources they need and then blaming, blaming the city."
Texas DPS told FOX 7 Austin it does not comment on pending litigation.
The city of Uvalde said, "We will forever be grateful to the victims’ families for working with us over the past year to cultivate an environment of community-wide healing that honors the lives and memories of those we tragically lost. May 24th is our community’s greatest tragedy."
FOX 7 reached out to Governor Greg Abbott's office and is waiting for a response.